WITH the British Army’s biggest UK base and RAF Leeming at the heart of the Richmond constituency, the health and wellbeing of servicemen and women, past and present, is never far from the top of my agenda.
So it has been very gratifying to see two projects aimed at improving the lot of veterans – one national and one local – go live.
In the same week as Armed Forces Day, the Government launched the new Veterans’ Gateway – a 24-hour service to help ex-Forces personnel access the support they need quickly and easily as they transition from military to civilian life.
That transition to Civvy Street is a problem I’ve come across many times in dealings with service veterans in my advice surgeries. The main problem has been that although a lot of help is available veterans can struggle to find it.
I have spoken to Defence Ministers about the need for some form of easy access, one-stop-shop for advice on everything from finances and housing to mental health and I think this initiative goes a long way to meeting that need.
The new Gateway, funded by £2m from the Ministry of Defence, brings together the vast range of charities and support on offer, guiding veterans directly to the help they need, when and where they need it.
The new 24-hour online chat, phone, and text message service brings the Armed Forces support community together in a single place for the first time - delivered by a Royal British Legion-led consortium. The service centre is manned partly by veterans to help ensure that callers can speak to someone who can understand their experience.
I think it’s great step forward in making sure the men and women who served Queen and Country get the support they deserve but have not always enjoyed. The Veterans’ Gateway can be found at www.veteransgateway.org.uk.
In North Yorkshire, last week also saw the launch of a new support service targeted at veterans over the age of 65. With so many service bases, the county has a high number of elderly ex-servicemen and women who decided to retire here after completing their careers and they face particular issues in later life.
Ex-Forces Support North Yorkshire is a three-year project, again funded by the MoD but this time from money generated by banking sector fines. It aims to help the county’s elderly veterans lead a fuller life by, for example, providing healthy lifestyle courses, opportunities to take part in trips and new activities, befriending and volunteering, and help and advice for carers and families.
The new service is backed by a consortium of 14 local charities and more information about the help available can be had from the local project leader Brian Woodley on 01748 823862.
On Saturday I had the honour and pleasure of opening the Stokesley Summer Fair, a great family occasion jointly hosted by Stokesley School and the Crash Bang Wallop Youth Theatre group.
The event helps fund the theatre group which is run by chair Andy Price and founder Dan Brookes with great enthusiasm and commitment.
The group is just about to stage its latest musical production, Legally Blond, at Northallerton Forum on July 12-15. Tickets from 01609 776230.